Possible ignition problem?

Need help please.
Have a 1974 mk2a 850 Commando fitted with Boyer Bransden ignition and Podtronics regulator/rectifier. Have had this configuration for a number of years with no problems. Recently the Red wire (earth wire) decided to overheat - smoke, melted plastic, damaged wires. The section that overheated was between the battery terminal and the earth point at the upper isolastic. Replaced the wiring loom with a new one. I now have a problem where the engine will cutout. There is no rhyme or reason when this occurs. After a minute or two it will restart and cutout again. I suspect an ignition problem. Could the Boyer Bransden black box have been damaged when the wiring loom overheated?
Thanks

Supartlist, With any Boyer the first thing to check are the flyleads to the stator plate. Plenty of threads about the problem on here, or search for my thread called "almost stranded". They fracture under the cable tie, and make / break as they vibrate.


Cheers,

cliffa

Good chance it has, did you find out what caused the earth wire to short out it must have come in contact with a bare power wire somewhere, I had this happen to my old Triumph many years ago and it burned out the whole earth wire, now when I do any rewiring I run my earth wire seperate to the power wiring harness.

Ashley